Side-door construction



Oct. 13, 1925. 1,556,594

C. E. EKLIND ET AL SIDE DOOR CONSTRUCTION Filed Sept. 18, 1921 '4 Sheets-Sht 1 C. E. EKLIND ET AL SIDE DOOR CONSTRUCTION Filed Sept. 18, 1924 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 mumsf/z ven ons 6(/ 7 big/(i726 I ZZZ/Zn??? 26/047292 Oct. 13, 1925 C. E. EKLIND ET AL SIDE DOOR CONSTRUCTION 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 [72 7/672 a o/"5 6&7 C/ZZZZQWJ MUQWWOM Patented Oct. 13, 1925.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

CARL E. EKLIND, OF BERWYN, AND WILLIAM W. DARROW, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, AS-

SIGNORS '10 CAMEL COMPANY, OF CHICAGQ'ILLINO-IS, A CORPORATION OF ILLINOIS.

SIDE-DOOR CONSTRUCTION.

Application filed September 18, 1924. Serial No. 738,825.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that we, CARL E. EKLIND and WILLIAM W. DARROW, citizens of the United States, residing, respectively, at Berwyn, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, and at Chicago, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, have jointly invented certain new and useful Improvements in Side-Door Constructions, of which the following is a specification.

The present invention relates to side door construction. i

More particularly the present invention relates to side door construction for box cars which for certain uses must have side door openings of more than the usual width. Examples of such cars are those used in the transportation of automobiles and the like.

The present invention has for one of its objects the provision of a side door construction which is sturdy, cheap to manufacture and install and which will require a minimum of change from cars as now designed and used.

A further object is to provide a side door construction of the double-door type adapted for ready application to existing cars.

A further object is to rovide a side door construction of the doub e-door type which construction involves a movable door jamb wherein said door jamb provides a substantially vertical bracing support for both the main and supplemental doors when said doors are in closed position.

A further object is to provide a side door construction which is simple in construction and which involves a minimum of parts.

A further object is to provide a side door construction involving a main door and a supplementary door which will combine the advantages of extraordinary door opening, car rigidity and ready availability for carrying grain or other finely divided lading A further object is to provide a side door construction involving a main door and a supplementary door, which supplementary door may be readily mani ulated without interference with the remainder of the car and which will automatically lock itself when moved to closed position.

' scription proceeds.

Referring to the drawings- Figure 1 is a fragmentary view in elevation of a box car showing main and supplementary doors in closed position. In this view the movable jamb or post is shown in dotted lines in its closed position.

Figure 2 is a sectional view taken along the plane marked by the arrows 2-2 of Figure l.

Figure 3 is a fragmentary view in elevation viewed from the inside of the car, showing part of the supplementary door, the door post or jamb and the fittings for said door post, said door post and supplementary door being in closed locked position.

Figure 4 is a fragmentary view looking at the structure of Figure 3 in the direction indicated by the arrows 4-4 of Figure 3.

Figure 5 is an enlarged fragmentary view of part of the structure shown in Figure 4.

Figure 6 is a fragmentary sectional view taken along the plane indicated by the arrows 66 of Fi ure 5.

Figure 7 is a ragmentary view in section along the plane indicated by the arrows 77 of Figure 6.

Figure 8 is a top plan view of the upper casting of the door post, together with the locking leverarm carried by said casting.

Figure 9 is a view in front elevation of the u per casting on the door post of a amb, togetiier with the keeper for holding the locking lever arm in position.

Figure 10 is a fragmentar view showing a slightly modified form 0 upper casting t h d i mb or post.

Figure 11 is a-top plan view of a casting which is stationarily mounted in the car and cooperates with the locking lever carried by the movable door jamb or post.

Figure 12 is a modified form of the structure shown in Figure 11.

Referring first to Figures 1 and 2, the numeral 1 lndicates a side wall and the numerals2 and 3 indicate respectively the side plates and side sills of a railway box car. The numeral 4: indicates a sliding door, which for purposes of description will be referred to in this specification as the main door. Said main door is adapted to cooperate with the post or jamb 5', which janib is indicated in dotted lines in Figure 1. Preferably, though not necessarily, secured to the jamb 5 is the door 6, also slidable longitudinally of the car, which door 6 for purposes of convenience is referred to in this specification as the supplementary door. According to the preferred embodiment of the present invention, the supplementary door 6 will be rigidly united to the j amb 5. Said jamb 5 is movable with the supplementary door from theposition indicated in full lines in Figure 2 to the position indicated in dotted lines in said figure. Mechanism is provided for releasably securing the jamb 5 in the position shown in full lines in Figure 2, which mechanism will be described in detail hereinafter. The numeral 7 indicates as a whole certain push and pull mechanism whereby the main door 4 may be readily moved relative to the supplementary door 6 either in opening or closing movement. The mechanism 7 forms no part of the present invention and need not be described herein. The numeral 8 indicates as a whole certain locking and sealing mechanism whereby the main door may be locked in its closed position. The doors 4 and 6 illustrated in Figure 1 are top hung, suitable track means and rollers being prov ded for facilitating the sliding movement of sald doors. It will be apparent, however. as thedescrlption proceeds that the present invention is independent of the means for hanging the doors.

Referring to Figures 3 and 4, the post or amb 1s lllustrated in the form of a timber 9 havmg castings 10 and 11 rigidly mounted at the top and bottom thereof. Said jamb 5 may be united to the supplementary door 6 by means of bolts 12 or other preferred means. The casting 11, located at the bottom of the timber 9, may provide a vertically disposed recess for carrying a bolt 13, which bolt may under certain circumstances be located within an apertured casting in the floor of the car for holding purposes. Said .bolt 13 is provided with a protuberance 14 PI'OJGCtlIlg through a vertically disposed slot 15 of the casting 11. Communicatmg with the slot 15 are the racemes 16 and 16'.

When the protuberance 14: is located in the recess 16, the bolt 13 will be held out of locking position. When in recess 16, the bolt 13 will be held in locking position, whereby the danger of accidental release is minimized.

The casting 10 located at the top of the timber 9 is shown on an enlarged scale in Figure 5. Said casting includes a cupshaped portion, indicated by the numeral 17, adapted to receive the upper end of the timber 9. A bolt or other holding means may be provided for holding said casting 10. against movement relative to; said timber 9. Said casting 10 is provided with a portion extending inwardly of the car, which portion will be described presently.

The side plate 2 has mounted thereon in wardly of the car the keeper or detent member 19 shown as a casting, which may be secured by any preferred means. Said detent member 19, which is shown separated from its cooperating parts in Figure 11, comprises the face portion 20 adapted to lie along the inner face of the side plate 2. Disposed inwardly of the car relative to said face portion 20- is the latch guiding portiion v21 adapted to guide a latch into position between the walls 22' and 23, which walls provide a recess 24: for said latch; Extending from the face portion 20 is the extension portion 25 adapted to be fitted into the under side of the side plate 2 and adapted to be bolted to said side plate 2. Disposed inwardly of the car with respect to the face plate 2 and disposed below the latch guiding portion 21 is the wedgeshaped portion 26, which cooperates with a certain wedge-shaped portion of the casting 10, to be referred to presently. As mentioned above, the casting 10 is provided with. an inwardly extending portion. Said portion is provided with the upper and lower walls 27 and 28 respectively, which rovide a recess for holding a rotatable atch member. Said, recess is closed by means of the plate 29, which, according to the disclosure of Figure 5, is fitted into the downwardly opening recess 30 in the upper wall 27 of the casting 10. The plate 29 is bent upon itself to underlie the lower member 28 and is again bent upon itself into positionto lie against the front portion of the cup-shaped member 17 of the casting 10. Said plate 29 may be held in place by means of bolts or other preferred holding means. The inwardly extending portion of the casting 10 is provided with a wedgeshaped .portion 31 adapted to cooperate with the wedge-shaped portion 26 of the member 19. Said wedge-shaped portions 26 and 31 are so'designed that when the door post or jamb 5 is moved to its home positionsaid wedge-shaped portions 26 and 31 will move into tight holding relationship,

The Z-bar 31' carried at the top of the supplementary door 6 will limit movement of said door 6 and the jamb 5 inwardly of the car.

The upper and lower walls 27 and and the holding plate 29 provide bearings for the rotatable latch member 32, which may have shouldered portions 3333 cooperating with the casting 10 and plate 29 to limit movement of said latch member in an axial direction. Said latch member is illustrated as being cored out interiorly for the purpose of reducing its weight. Said rotatable latch member is provided with the latch portion 34, which is indicated in full lines in Figure 5 in its latching position and is indicated in dotted lines in Figure 5 in its unlatching position. The latch member 32 is provided with the operating arm 35, which operating arm is limited in a clockwise direction by means of the lug 36 forming part of the casting 10. The arm 35 is connected to the vertically extending rod 37 disposed along the timber 9. Said rod 37 is disposed within the strap 38. As shown in Figure 3, the rod 37 is bent toward the timber 9 adjacent to its lower extremity, providing the shoulder 39,

which shoulder 39 may rest upon the strap 38 when it is desired to hold the rod 37 in its uppermost position. In this position the latch portion 34 will be held out of latching engagement with the member 19, thereby rendering it unnecessary for an operator to support rod 37 while moving jamb 5 to open position. The lower end of rod 37 is provided with the extension 39 extending longitudinally of the car. When j amb 5 is moved to open position, as indicated in dotted lines in Figure 2, said extension 39 will abut against a part 39 of the car, resulting in the positive knocking oil of shoulder 39 (Figure 3) from the strap 38 and leaving latch'portion 34 of the latch member 32 free to engage the guiding portion 21 of the keeper' or detent member 19 when jamb 5 is again moved to closed position.

Figures 8 and 9 show a slightly modified structure for limiting the counterclockwise movement of the rotatable latch member 32'. According to the structure shown in Figure 8, said rotatable latch member is provided with a stud 40 adapted to ride in a slot 41 in the upper wall 27 of the casting 10, rotation of the latch member 32 being llmited by the extremity of said slot 41. According to the structure shown in Figures 8 and 9, the plate 29 has a pair of upstanding cars 42- 42, which project through corresponding holes in the upper wall 27 of the casting 10.

According to the structure shown in F igure 10, the upper wall 27 is provided with apair of hook-shaped portions 4343 adapte to hook over the plate 29.

Figure 12 illustrates a modified construction of the member 19, the structure shown in Figure 12 having a slightly different form of latch guiding portion.

A mode of operation of the above desrribed structure will be clear Without detailed explanation. When a door of only ordinary width is required, thedoor post or jamb 5 will be latched in position with the latch portion 34 riding in the recess 24 of the member 19 and with the bolt 13 of the casting 11 located in its corresponding hole in a co-engaging casting in the floor of the car. \Vhen a doorway of extraordinary width is required, the bolt 13 will be raised and rotated to the extent necessary to locate the protuberance 14 within the recess 16 of the casting 11. The rod 37 will be raised to free the latch portion from latching engagement with the member 19, and the shouldered portion 39 may be located upon the strap 38 to hold said rod 37 in its uppermost position, whereby the operator may use both hands in shoving the door 6 toward open position. When thus unlatched, the door post or jamb 5 may be moved longitudinally of the car, carrying with it the supplementary door 6, whereby to provide a doorway of extraordinary width. \Vhen supplementary door 6 and j amb 5 are moved to full open position the extension 39 at the lower end of rod 37 will abut against the part 39 of the car, whereby the shoulder 39 will be released from the strap 38, leaving the latching member free for action on the succeeding closing movement, When the'door jamb 5 is in home position the locking bolt 13 will be released from the recess 16 and allowed to gravitate to its holding position.

The structure disclosed is simple, provides a sturdy support between the side sill 3 and the side plate 2, and may be applied to ex isting designs of car with a minimum 01" modification of said cars. It should be noted that the casting 11 at the bottom of the jamb 5 is disposed laterally of said jamb, whereby no interference will occur with grain doors, which grain doors may be nailed to the timber 9 of the jamb 5. The operating rod 3'7 intended to cover all such modifications that ineans, a jamb movable longitudinally of said car, said jamb including a post having a casting mounted at an end thereof, said casting including wedging means cooperating with said stationarily mounted wedging means, said casting also including a bearingand common means for guiding said operating means and for supporting said operating means to hold said latch member out of latching position.

3. Car construction, comprising a stationarily mounted keeper member, a movable jamb having a casting mounted at one end thereof, a bolt receptacle mounted at the other end thereof, a bolt within said receptacle, said receptacle being formed -to provide means for holding said belt out of locking relationship with said ear, and a rotatable latch member carried by said casting, said latch member having a ortion adapted to have abutting relationship with said keeper member and having operating mechanism for biasing said latch member to latching position.

4. Car construction, comprising a stationarily mounted keeper member, a movable jamb having a castlngmounted at one end thereof, a bolt receptacle mounted at the other end thereof, a bolt within said receptacle, said receptacle being formed to provide means for holding said bolt out of locking relationship with said car, and a rotatable latch member carried by said casting, said latch member having a portion adapted to have abutting relationship with said keeper member and having operating mechanism for biasing said latch member to latching position, said casting being provided with a stop member forlimiting move-' ment of said latch portion.

5. Car construction, including a side plate and a side sill, a movable jamb mounted between said side plate and said side sill, a detent member mounted entirely above the lower outline of said side plate and ex tending inwardly of said car, and latch mechanism carried by said jamb rotatable about an axis extending longitudinally of said car and having a latch portion adapted to have abutting relation with said detent member, whereby a firm holding relationship may be had between said side plate and said jamb without interfering with the space between said side plate and said side sill. 6. A movable door jamb having a casting fastened to an end thereof, said casting bearing, said latch member being biased in a certain direction, operating means for said latch member and combined means for guiding and supporting said operatingv means whereby said operating means may be conveniently positioned to hold said latch member in unbiased position.

8. A movable door amb having a casting fastened to an end thereof, said casting having walls providing a recess opening laterally of said jamb, a cover plate secured to said jamb providing a bearing, a rotatable latch member carried by said bearing, said latch member being biased in a certain direction, 0 erating means for said latch member, an combined means for guiding and supporting said operating means whereby said operating means may be conveniently positioned to hold said latch member in unbiased position, said casting being provided with stop means for limiting the.

movement of said latch member in its biased direction.

9. A car, including stationarily mounted latch keeper means, a jamb movable longitudinally of said car, a latch member carriedby said jamb, said latch member being biased to latching position, means for supporting said operating member in a position to hold said latch member out of latching position, said operating member being provided with a portion adapted to abut against a portion of said car to move said operating member out of holding relationship with said supporting means.

10. A car, including stationarily mounted latch keeper means, a jamb movable longitudinally of said car, a latch member carried by said jamb, said latch member being biased to latching position,- means for supporting said latch member out of latching position, and means for interrupting the operative relationship between said latch member and said supporting means when said jamb is moved to a predetermined position.

11. A movable door jamb havin a latch member mounted at an end thereo an operating member for said latch member, said free said operating member from said holdlatch member being biased in a predeing' means. termined direction, means for holding said Signed at Chicago, Illinois, this 9th day 1 latch member in unbiased position, said opof September, 1924.

'- erating member being provided with an v abutment portion adapted to be struck in CARL E. EKLIND. the operative movement of said jamb to WILLIAM W. DARROW. 

